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                  <p class="p_Heading1"><span class="f_Heading1">The User Interface</span></p>



  
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                <p class="p_BodyText"><span class="f_BodyText">The </span><span class="f_BodyText" style="font-style: italic;">Enterprise Architect</span><span class="f_BodyText"> </span><span class="f_BodyText" style="font-style: italic;">Application Workspace</span><span class="f_BodyText"> consists of a number of windows, menus and toolbars as described below. Together these elements provide a simple and flexible software engineering environment. In concept the Application Workspace is similar to programs such as Microsoft Outlook and the Microsoft Visual Studio application suite; if you have used these applications you should find the Enterprise Architect interface quite familiar.</span></p>
<p class="p_SubHeadingL1"><span class="f_SubHeadingL1">Enterprise Architect in Action</span></p>
<p class="p_BodyText"><span class="f_BodyText"><a href="http://sparxsystems.com/resources/demos/eaoverview/TO_20070111%20EA%20Overview.htm" target="_blank" class="weblink">A demonstration of Enterprise Architect in use</a> is provided on the Sparx Systems website. </span></p>
<p class="p_SubHeadingL1"><span class="f_SubHeadingL1">Workspace Components</span></p>
<p class="p_BodyText"><span class="f_BodyText">This section outlines the components of the Enterprise Architect Application Workspace. To obtain further information on specific features, follow the hyperlinks in each description.</span></p>
<p class="p_SubHeadingL2"><span class="f_SubHeadingL2">Main Menu and Toolbars</span></p>
<p class="p_BodyText"><span class="f_BodyText">At the top of the workspace are the </span><span class="f_MenuKeyField"><a href="mainmenu.htm">Main Menu</a></span><span class="f_BodyText"> and </span><span class="f_UIControl"><a href="workspacetoolbars.htm">Toolbars</a></span><span class="f_BodyText">. The </span><span class="f_MenuKeyField">Main Menu</span><span class="f_BodyText"> provides access to further submenus. There are several toolbars, which you can hide or display as necessary.</span></p>
<p class="p_SubHeadingL2"><span class="f_SubHeadingL2">Context Menus</span></p>
<p class="p_BodyText"><span class="f_BodyText">Throughout Enterprise Architect, if you right-click on work areas, lists and objects, Enterprise Architect displays a menu of options specific to the work context. For examples, see:</span></p>
<ul style="text-indent: 0px; margin-left: 30px; list-style-position: outside;">
<li><span class="f_Bulletlist1"><a href="packagecontextmenu.htm">Package Context Menu (Project Browser)</a></span></li>
<li><span class="f_Bulletlist1"><a href="diagramcontextmenu.htm">Diagram Context Menu (Project Browser)</a></span></li>
<li><span class="f_Bulletlist1"><a href="elementcontextmenu.htm">Element Context Menu (Project Browser)</a></span></li>
<li><span class="f_Bulletlist1"><a href="diagramcontextmenu2.htm">Diagram Context Menu (Diagram)</a></span></li>
<li><span class="f_Bulletlist1"><a href="elementcontextmenu2.htm">Element Context Menu (Diagram)</a>.</span></li>
</ul>
<p class="p_SubHeadingL2"><span class="f_SubHeadingL2">Key Combinations</span></p>
<p class="p_BodyText"><span class="f_BodyText">Many main menu and context menu options have alternative key combinations to perform the same operation. Instead of displaying a menu and selecting the required option, you can press the key combination. See <a href="keyboardshortcuts.htm">Keyboard Shortcuts</a> for a full list of key combinations and their functions, or display the <a href="keyboardshortcuts.htm#KAM">Help Keyboard</a> dialog (select the </span><span class="f_MenuKeyField">Help | Keyboard Accelerator Map</span><span class="f_BodyText"> menu option). You can also <a href="customizekeyboardshortcuts.htm">customize</a> these function keys.</span></p>
<p class="p_SubHeadingL2"><span class="f_SubHeadingL2">Enterprise Architect UML Toolbox</span></p>
<p class="p_BodyText"><span class="f_BodyText">The Enterprise Architect UML </span><span class="f_UIControl"><a href="objecttoolbar.htm">Toolbox</a></span><span class="f_BodyText"> is an Outlook-style toolbar from which you can select model elements and relationships to add to your modeling diagrams. This is an important feature of Enterprise Architect, as it provides all the components and connectors that you use to create your models in whatever diagrams are appropriate.</span></p>
<p class="p_SubHeadingL2"><span class="f_SubHeadingL2">Diagram View</span></p>
<p class="p_BodyText"><span class="f_BodyText">The large central area of the Enterprise Architect display is the </span><span class="f_UIControl"><a href="diagramview.htm">Diagram View</a></span><span class="f_BodyText">. This is where you can arrange new model elements and set their characteristics in a model diagram. Note that when you first open Enterprise Architect there is no active diagram; you must create and/or open the required diagram.</span></p>
<p class="p_SubHeadingL2"><span class="f_SubHeadingL2">Project Browser</span></p>
<p class="p_BodyText"><span class="f_BodyText">The </span><span class="f_UIControl"><a href="projectexplorer.htm">Project Browser</a></span><span class="f_BodyText"> is used to navigate your project. Double-click on package icons to open them and display the diagrams and elements they contain. Similarly, double-click on elements to open them, and on diagrams to display them in the </span><span class="f_UIControl">Diagram View</span><span class="f_BodyText">. You can <a href="pastingfromthetree.htm">drag elements</a> from the </span><span class="f_UIControl">Project Browser</span><span class="f_BodyText"> to add them to diagrams.</span></p>
<p class="p_SubHeadingL2"><span class="f_SubHeadingL2">Model Views</span></p>
<p class="p_BodyText"><span class="f_BodyText">You can set up tailored views of your model, containing sections or organizations of your model that are of particular relevance to you or your team. </span><span class="f_BodyText"><a href="model_views.htm">Model Views</a> are stored in the model and are visible to all users. You can set up Favorites folders to give you easy access (hyperlinks) to commonly-used packages and elements. You also have a My Views model stored locally on your machine and only visible to you, and Technology-defined views that are read only and stored with MDG technologies. You can associate each view with a query-built search that you can run by either double-clicking or expanding it.</span></p>
<p class="p_SubHeadingL2"><span class="f_SubHeadingL2">Visual Style</span></p>
<p class="p_BodyText"><span class="f_BodyText">You can <a href="visualstyles.htm">configure the look and feel</a> of Enterprise Architect to suit your working environment. Options range from a classic windows application to an enhanced XP appearance.</span></p>
<p class="p_SubHeadingL2"><span class="f_SubHeadingL2">Arranging Windows</span></p>
<p class="p_BodyText"><span class="f_BodyText">You can rearrange windows and some menus to adapt the screen space to your work habits. You can:</span></p>
<ul style="text-indent: 0px; margin-left: 30px; list-style-position: outside;">
<li><span class="f_Bulletlist1"><a href="dockingwindows.htm">Dock</a> windows against any edge of the workspace, or move them freely (float them) as you work; for a list of dockable windows, see <a href="dockablewindows.htm">Dockable Windows</a></span></li>
<li><span class="f_Bulletlist1"><a href="autohidewindows.htm">Autohide</a> windows so that they display only when you are actually using them</span></li>
<li><span class="f_Bulletlist1"><a href="tearoffmenus.htm">Tear off</a> submenus so that they stay open in a convenient (docked) location.</span></li>
</ul>




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